Day 162 -- "Showing Us the Way"

One of my favorite things about the spring is the baccalaureate celebration that takes place the week before graduation.  I love the chance to see my seniors in their caps and gowns and to praise God for their arrival to the finish line.  For every year since I can remember, I've listened to Western's Select Choir perform the song "Showing Us the Way" by Michael V. Ficocelli.  When I was a senior, I even got to sing it at my own baccalaureate.  That year, and every year since I have taught at Western, I get choked up listening to the perfectly fitting lyrics of this song.  Tonight, on a perfect evening at the Cascades Falls, tears ran down my face as I watched the seniors I taught sing the words of this song to their classmates, parents, teachers, and friends.  I smiled and cried a little more as I realized that someday there's a good chance I'll be watching my own kids sing it at their baccalaureate.

I had to share it with you.  This isn't Western's choir, but they do a nice job.

Here we are tying up the loose ends and Saying last goodbyes to all our friends. Here we are making all the right moves and Moving on to new things, starting over again. Where we are going to it's still hard to say, But I know we'll come back someday. Holding on to all the things you've taught us and Thanking you for showing us the way. There we were seeing things the first time, Sorting out the reasons from the rhyme. There you were always there to guide us, Mapping out the mountains that we had to climb, You took us in your hands and shaped us like clay, and helped prepare us for this day, See us now we're shining in your love light, and Thanking you for showing us the way. You've watched us all grow older, You helped us look ahead, You'll be there over my shoulder in my times of need, I'll hear the words that you said, The words that you said. Here we are tying up the loose ends and Saying last goodbyes to all our friends. Here we are making all the right moves and Moving on to new things, starting over again. Where we are going to it's still hard to say, But I know we'll come back someday. Holding on to all the things you've taught us and Thanking you for showing us the way. Thank God for "Showing Us the Way"! Lord, thank you for baccalaureate and for the chance to celebrate the seniors by praising you.  Thank you for this song full of emotion and nostalgia and for it's significance at this time of year.  Please bless this class of seniors and the rest of their graduation week.  In your name I pray, Amen.